By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kozhikode: The name of Chaliyam was written in the history of India more than 400 years ago when the great warrior Kunjali Marakkar II defeated the Portuguese. And now, again the naval history of the place is repeating when the ship-building research centre comes there. Defence Minister AK Antony laid the foundation stone for the NIRDESH – National Institute for Research and Development in Defence Ship-building – at Chaliyam yesterday.
The NIRDESH is the result of political unification for development, said Mr AK Antony. Ship-building began around a thousand years ago in Beypore. It is highly pleasing that an institution like the NIRDESH is coming here, he said while giving the inaugural speech.
Meanwhile, a special package of Rs 5 crore will be implemented at Chaliyam, announced State Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem. The Industries Ministry would provide Rs 1 crore in the project which aims at the progress of the local people in and around Chaliyam. About 300 families at the spot of the NIRDESH project will be beneficial from the package, which includes setting up of educational institutions of the IHRD in the place. The local people can find easy employment once the NIRDESH is operational. The ministry decided to implement the package as per a report submitted by the district Collector PB Saleem (after a study of the place of the NIRDESH project and its people).
The centre will come up in the 40.56 acre government land at Chaliyam near Beypore in Kozhikode district. The Rs 600 crore venture of the Defence Ministry will reportedly design defence ships and submarines for the navy and coast guard. The Defence Minister will head the Board of Governors of the centre as its president.
Central ministers of state E Ahmed and Mullappalli Ramchandran, State Ministers KP Rajendran and Binoy Viswom, Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy and MK Raghavan, MP, etc were present at the function.
Chaliyam has a special place in the naval history of the country as it was where the naval forces of the Portuguese were crushed by the Marakkars of Calicut. The title of ‘Marakkar’ was bestowed upon Muhammed Kunjali, the first Kunjali Marakkar, by the Zamorin king of Calicut when Kunjali took up the naval defence of the kingdom against the Portuguese. Marakkar was a trader and naval commander of the kingdom. Afterwards, the sons of Muhammed Kunjali continued their position and retained the title. It was Kunjali Marakkar II who crushed the Portuguese forces at Chaliyam and demolished their fort, which forced the Portuguese to leave Calicut and settle in Kochi.